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RE
University Press Operates A Modern Printing Plant
By DON NIELSEN
The University Press today is a far cry from the small print shop it once was.
In 1904, the University Press consisted of little more than a few fonts of type and one small press. Today the Press owns a modern printing plant with all the equipment necessary for putting out a daily paper, printing magazines, and publishing books.
The first publication of the Press was the Observer of Nature, which appeared April 1, 1874. This was a work by the Kansas Kaplanite, delegate which later consolidated with its rival, the Kansas review. This magazine was published until 1896.
But the Press was not really organized until 1904 when a group of alumni bought several fonts of type published by publishing the Graduate Magazine.
Each month, when the material for the magazine had been assembled, the type was set and the locked forms hauled downtown in horse-drawn drays to be printed. Since then, the publishers have taken their magazine, these "pioneers" heir to have the presswork done by printers elsewhere.
These alumni had set up their print shop in the basement of Fraser hall, and there it remained until 1911 when the equipment became the property of the University and was moved into the "Shack." Although that was more than 40 years ago, the University Press still re-
THOMAS C. RYTHER
celves man addressed to Fraser hall. In 1911 the University consolidated its courses in journalism into the journalism department. Prof. Merle Thorpe was named first chairman of the department.
ceives mail addressed to Fraser hall.
One of Professor Thorpe's first actions was to have the University buy the printing equipment of the Graduate Magazine from the group of alumni for $5,000. The equipment was moved to the Shack and used to put out the Daily Kansan.
Besides the Kansan and all types of printing required by the University, the Press publishes the Kansas Engineer, The Alumni Magazine, research papers and publications and a few books, which, if not handled by the University Press, would not be printed.
The superintendent of the University Press, Prof. T. C. Ryther, pointed out that the publication of the Kansan is by no means the only service of the Press.
None of these books are of the type which would make any publisher a fortune. They are printed by the Press, not for profit, but for their contributions to the various fields of science and education.
The Press has printed books on subjects ranging from anti-malaria
Friday, Feb. 22, 1952 University Daily Kansas B—Page 7
SETTING THE KANSAN IN TYPE—Two of the composing room employees who are responsible for putting out the University Daily Kansan are Harold U. Fox, makeup man, and Guy M. Pennock, linotype operator and composing room foreman, left to right.—Kansan photo by Al Marshall.
work in various parts of the world to a beautifully illustrated book on Kansas wildflowers. Most of these books will sell no more than a few hundred copies.
At the end of this semester the University Press will have moved into the newly remodeled Journalism building. It will have two new presses and new surroundings. The
University Press has come a long way. More than 40 years ago it was a small typesetting shop run by a few ambitious alumni; today it is a modern printing plant, furnishing the facilities for journalism students to publish a daily newspaper and supplying printing necessary to the smooth functioning of the University.
Started In 1911
Kansan Printer Reviews 'Old Days'
Bv BOB NOLD
Students come and go but Guy M Pennock Sr., foreman of the Daily Kansan, just keeps working along.
Since he started to work here at the University many famous persons have come and gone. Among them are Ben Hibbs, editor of the Saturday Evening Post; Peg Vaughn, Far East correspondent for United Press who was killed in Japan; Deane W Malott, former chancellor of Kansas university and now president of Cornell university; Henry McCurdy, assistant managing-editor of the Macmillan Publishing company, and Raymond Clapper, columnist who died in an airplane crash.
Mr. Pennock said Clapper and his wife walked from Kansas City to enroll in journalsm. He said Mr. Clapper worked in the printshop with him.
Many of the students who came to Kansas now have children coming to KU. "I hope to be retired before the grandchildren get here," he said.
"I was superintendent here when Thomas C. Ryther, present superintendent of the University Press, came to KU from Alton, Kan., as a freshman. I hired him as a student printer."
Mr. Mennock began working in the KU printshop April 7, 1911. "I first was in the office in the basement of Frusia, said, adding, 'We had one machine.'
From 1942 through 1947, Professor Beth was editor of the Journalism Bulletin, a quarterly publication of teaching aids sponsored by the American Association of Teachers. Journalism, founded in 1912 and superseded in 1951 by AEJ.
All officers of AASDJ this year are Kansasans. The are prof. Ralph Lashbrook, Kansas State college; vice president is Dean Burton and secretary-sr. assistant of finance and secretary-treasurer is Professor Beth.
"The following fall," he continued, "We proved into 'the Shack' and best working with the Kansan as a daily."
(Continued from page 3) members and one representative from each of these five publisher organizations: The National Editorial Association, the American Newspaper Publishers association, the Southern Newspaper Publishers association, the American Society of Newspaper Editors, and the Inland Daily Press association.
Mr. Pennock said the medical students were in this building before the journalism department moved
Journalism Center
in. "The medics were going to move to the museum," he said, continuing, "They had on their white coats and intended to parade their cadavorous subjects through a convocation crowd. However, Frank Strong heard about it and called off the parade."
Mr. Pennock remembers ex-chancellor Malott, a journalism student at KU, editing a column called "Plain Tales of the Hill."
Still another memory he has is that Lucille McNaughton, during World War I, was the first woman ever to be business manager of the Kansan.
"Students today seem to be taking more interest in the copy and the way they get it up than former students did," Mr. Pennock said. "They don't change things like the students did years back.
"Then each student had a different idea and wanted radical changes made. The students today are settling down and hitting the ball. The Kansan is much better today than it ever was."
At present approximately a dozen students are working in the print shop. "I try to keep the boys busy,"
"The students today will go as far or farther than those of the last couple of generations. They aren't as wild a bunch as they were in days gone by."
he said.
Mr. Pennock said he decided from the first that he wanted to be a printer, so he stayed with it. "I like the mechanical end better than office work," he said.
Mr. Pennock worked on the Lawrence Journal and the Lawrence World and on papers in Salina and Kansas City, Mo.
Women Editors
(Continued from page 4) got started on the regular daily issue.
The Zilch dinner was another event which the women had to take over. The Zilch dinner is comparable to the Gridiron dinner in Washington and is characterized by a character in costume, called Elmer Zilch, who acts as master of ceremonies.
In 1944, when there were only girls in the department, the character had to be changed from Elmer to Eleanor Zilch, portrayed by Betty Perkins. The first Zilch dinner was held in 1941.
The fact that the girls did a good job is illustrated by their career after leaving KU. Four girls were placed with press associations after they graduated while other made good in other lines of journalistic work.
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